The Chevrolet Volt is the first and only extended range EV on the U.S. market today. The Volt has been in the spotlight recently after the NHTSA found that two of three vehicles caught fire after side impact testing. One of the vehicles that caught fire didn’t burst into flames until three weeks after the crash test. The other started sparking and smoking immediately after the test.

Understandably, GM is eager to get to the root of the problem with the Volt fires. GM's Mary Barra, VP of global product development for GM said, "I have engineers working shoulder-to-shoulder with the NHTSA engineers right now," said Mary Barra, vice president of global product development for GM. "We are looking to say, 'Are there some design changes that we can make — something more robust in this location or that location or this component?'"

However, the automaker does note that any changes would need to be rigorously tested both at GM and with outside sources.

GM also says that if the investigation determines that changes need to be made to the design of the battery packs, it will make those changes as quickly as possible. She also points out that there still isn't any indication of just how long the investigation into the fires will last.

GM's Mary Barra with a Chevrolet Cruze [Source: GM]

GM is taking the concerns of the roughly 6,000 Volt owners in the U.S. seriously and has offered to loan Volt owners a different vehicle until the investigating is completed. GM has also noted that if a Volt owner wanted to sell their Volt back to GM, it would buy the car back. Originally, it sounded like all the Volt owner had to do was ask and GM would buy their car back. Some statements that Barra made make it sound as though a buyback isn't a given in each case. Barra said, "First, we're going to have a conversation and understand their specific concern."

She added, "But if, as we go through that process, we get to a point where we think it's the right thing to do for that customer to protect the customer's satisfaction and show that General Motors puts the customers first, then that's what we'll do."

When that arcane and bizarre LOW FUEL symbol glows with a sinister amber glow, what does one do? Need we sacrifice a chicken or virgin, or both? NAY! You put gas in it, and drive off. Let me guess, that's too complicated for you. You might want to consider moving to New Jersey or Oregon. I hear they don't allow their citizens to pump their own gas.

@ quicksilvr - this car cannot be compared to any other car on the marketplace, no other car can do what the Volt does as of right now.

The upcoming plug-in prius, which is a fair comparison, will start at 32,000 and go to 39,525$. It will have less room, it looks worse, and it only gets 10 miles on all electric mode.

The regular prius cannot hit fuel efficiency ratings of 1000+ miles per gallon, like the Volt can. Case and point the people who drive under 40 miles per day (many volt drivers) or have the ability to recharge at their destination.

You also go into talking about the leaf, yet that still gets the same 7,500$ tax credit you've denounced earlier in your posts for being unfair to the tax payer. The leaf starts at 34,000 and goes to 37,000$ for the 2012 model, that is hardly much cheaper. You also get range anxiety and the inability to just gas up whenever.

All your points are comparing apples to oranges. Once again, you cannot compare any current vehicle to the volt, it is unique for the time being. Comparing the Volt to the prius simply shows your lack of knowledge about everything.